Locking device for car-couplings.



I No. 629,2l8. Patented July 18, I899; v a. P. STEWART.

LOCKlNG DEV-ICE FDR CAR GUUPLINGSL (Application filed m 11; 1999.

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GEORGE P. STEWART, OF PALESTINE, TEXAS.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR- CAR-COUPLINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,218, dated uly 18, 1899.

Application filed May 17, 1899, Serial Il'ox 117,179. (No model.) 7

' To all whom, it may concern:

I Be it known that I, GEORGE P. STEWART, of Palestine,in the county of Anderson and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Locking Device for Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates tomeans for preventing the accidental uncoupling of car-couplings which have aside-latching knuckle held in closed adjustment by a slidable key.

, Car-couplings of the J anney type are subject to accidental release of the knuckle from coupled engagement with a similar coupling by reason of the'upward movement of'the locking-key that holds the knuckle closed by its contact with the tailpiece of said knuckle. This lifting movement of the locking-key is generally due tovthe joltingof the cars as they pass over the joints of the rails of the roadway, and the knuckle-tailpiece being slightly rocked by the sway of the cars aids in the improper elevation of the key, that finally is raised above the tailpiece and al-' lows the knuckle to open, thus detaching portions of a train and in some cases causing serious accidents.

The object of-my invention is to provide a novel, simple, and practical device which will act automatically and effectually prevent the improper release of the knuckle of a sidelatching coupling andwhich will permit the easy detachment of two cars having coup lings provided with the improvement, which may be effected at either side of either car thus coupled.

The invention consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, andindicated in the claims.

device is adjusted for a release of the knuckle from the key; and Fig. 4 is adetached per spective View of the gravity block or dog, that is an essential feature of the invention.

In the drawings which show the application of my invention the car-coupling A is held projected from the end of a car-body B at the transverse center, as usual, and may have the ordinary orany preferred means for cushioning draft strain, which attachments do not constitute features of the invention and are therefore omitted from the drawings. The car-coupling is of the common side-latching type, generally known asthe .Janney style of car-coupling, and as represented in brief comprises a draw-head A,having the drawbar A, extended rearwardly therefrom for support beneath the car-frame by a loop-plate A orany other suitable means.

In the forwardly-open chamber a of the draw-head A the L-shaped knuckle A is pivoted by the bolt 6 to adapt the latching memher A thereof to swing laterally and couple with or release another coupling of the same type. The tailpiece A of the knuckle A projects in the ordinary manner into the chamher a of-the draw-head and at its inneredge c is adapted for engagement with the vertically-slidable key A When the key A is fully depressed, a widened portion d thereon has such contact with the tailpiece A? as will prevent it from rocking in a forward direction, and thus retains the jaw or latching member A of the knuckle from outward-rocking movement, which would release it from a similar carcoupling. p

, .On. the key A there is the ordinary shoulder 6, so formed by diminishing the'thicknesslings of this type to be automatically coupled bysimplysboving the draw-heads of the carcouplings into contact, it' being understood that the knuckles of both car-couplings are in a nearly-opened condition, as ju-stexplained. The description so far as given relates to a class of car-couplings now in common use and is presented for illustration of the manner in which my improved locking device may be applied to an ordinary side-latching car-coupling, as will now be described.

On an ear 5, that depends from the drawhead A at its left side, the hooked end 6 of the tripping-lever 6 is loosely secured, preferably by inserting the hook through a perforation of the ear, whereby the lever is disposed transversely below the draw-head in the same vertical plane with the key A. At a suitable distance above the lower end of the key A the body thereof is reduced, thereby affording a second shoulder g on it, and there is a vertical slot g formed in the lever 6 at a point which will adapt it to receive the reduced portion of the key that is below the shoulder g. The key is looselysecured in the slot g, preferably by means of the cross-pin it, that is firmly inserted in a transverse porforation of the key-body just below the lever, which adapts said lever to elevate and depress the key when it is correspondingly actuated.

From the right side of the draw-head A depends a furcated ear, affording two parallel spaced flanges 1, wherein the upper end of the weighty locking-clog '7 is pivoted by a cross-bolt i. Preferably the lever 6 is bent to depress. the portion of its body that is directly below the dog 7, so that sufficient length may be given to the latter to adapt it for efficient service. To increase the weight of the locking-dog 7 at its lower end, the body thereof is widened, producing thick lateral projections thereon, so that the weight of the normally-pendent dog will always cause it to assume a vertical plane when free to do so.

On the end of the car-frame B, a proper distance above the draw-head A, arock-shaft O is supported in a horizontal plane by boxes m, so that said shaft may be rocked when either of two crank-handles 0, formed or secured on the ends of said shaft, is manipulated.

An arm 0 that extends outwardly from the rock-shaft 0 above the free end of the lever 6, has the chain 8 or equivalent flexible connection connected by one end to the outer end thereof. From the end of the arm C the chain 8 depends toward the lever 6 and at a suitable distance therefrom is attached to the bight n of the doubled chain or other flexible connection 9 0. The two members 0 9 of the doubled chain are coupled upon the perforated ears 0 0', respectively formed upon the lever 6 and the lower end of the dog 7, and it will be seen that as the member 9, that is attached to the lever 6, is slightly longer than the member 9 of the doubled chain and the latter is more directly in line with the chain 8 a pull upon said chain 8 will commence to rock the dog outwardly in advance of the upward movement of the lever, so that the latter may be lifted and by its upward movement cause the elevation of the pin A" for the release of the knuckle.

It is essential that the weight of the lever 6 and dog 7 be sufficient to insure their instant descent into the respective positions represented in Fig. 2 when the key A is released from the tailpiece A of the knuckle, and, as indicated, the fall of the lever aids in causing the quick descent of said key until its head rests upon the draw-head, this of course occurring only when the knuckle is in closed adjustment.

The instant the lever 6 descends the dog 7 falls into a vertical position, which will dispose its weighty lower end above and near to the. outer portion of the tripping-lever and adapts said dog to prevent an upward movement of the lever 6 and key A until the rockshaft 0 has been manually rocked to lift the dog away from the lever, as has been explained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a draw-head having a laterally-swinging knuckle, and a vertically slidable key adapted to hold the knuckle closed when said key is lowered, of a transverse lever held to rock transversely below the key and loosely secured thereto, a

'rockable dog hung above the lever and holding said lever depressed as Well as the key when the lever is lowered, and means to simultaneously rock the dog and lever upwardly for release of the draw-head knuckle.

2. The combination with a draw-head having a side-latching knuckle, a vertically-slidable key, and a transverse lever held loosely by one end so as to dispose the lever below the draw-head and project its free end beyond said draw-head, the key having a loosely-secured engagement at its lower end within a slot of the lever, of a dog hung upon the lower side of the draw-head above the free end portion of the lever so as to prevent said lever from rocking upwardly, a flexible connection extended upwardly from the lower end of the dog and the outer end of the lever, and a rockshaft supported above the draw-head and adapted to pull upon the flexible connection so as to elevate the dog and lever, when said shaftis rocked.

3. In a locking device for a side-latching GEORGE I. STEWART.

\Vitnesses:

J. M. FULLINW DER, A. W. GREGG. 

